Washing machine



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July 24, 1923.

F- FENsELAu ET AL -WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. '7, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Patented July 24, 1923.

'narran stares FREDERICK FENSELAIT AND GEORGE W2 THOMPSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application inea February 7, 1920.' serieu No. 356,905,

To all :whom/t may conci/37%.'

Beit known that we, .FREDERICK FENsE- LAU and GEORGE'V. THOMPSON, citizens of the United States, andV residing at Detroit, county of Vayne, and State of Michigan, hav-e'inventedla newl and lmproved Washing Machine, of 'which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines in which the clothes are enclosed in a rotating cylinder which dips into soapy water, and its object is to provide a novel clothes cylinder, supporting means for the cylinder, and actuating mechanism for the cylinder.

rThis invention consists, in combination with the tub and the clothes cylinder therein, of a motor below the tub and a horizontal and vertical shaft connected to the motor, of a Worm on the vertical shaft and a worm wheel driven thereby, a shaft for the worm extending through the end of the tub at its upper edge, a gear case within the tub and extending down from near the upperedge of the tub to the axis of the cylinder, and driving gears connecting to the worm shaft and tothe clothes cylinder.

It also consists in the details of construe tion illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective of our improved washing machine and of a wringer mounted thereon.

" Fig. 2 is an interior View of the tub. Figs.

3 and 4 are vertical sections of the casing for the main shaft at right angles to each other.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The tub is shown to have parallel flat sides 1 and 2, a semi-cylindrical bottom 3 joined thereto, and ends 4 and 5, all preferably of heavy galvanized iron, supported by legs 6. Gross bars 7, 8, 9 and 10 connect the legs and support an electric motor (not shown) having a shaft 12 and a protective casing 13. Within the casing (Fig. 4) is a centrifugal coupling consisting of a disk14 connected to the motor shaft 12 and a flanged disk 15 secured to the worm shaft 16. Lugs 17 on the disk 14 carry dogs 18 having counterweights' 19 which, when the motor has attained sufficient speed, fly out and cause the dogs 17 to engage the flange 2O on the disk 15 and so connect the shafts 12 and 16.

The worm 21 on the shaft; 16 meshes with the .worm wheel 22 on the main shaft 23, which ispreferably in three pieces 23,".23a and 23b connected Vby sleeves 24, in order to facilitate assembling. Secured to the cross bars 10 on the end of the tub is a gear casing 26; a second casing 27 encloses the worm 21 and worm wheel 22, while a pipe 28 extends between the casings 26 and 27.

Within the tub is a gear case 31 extending down from near the top ofthe end 5 to the center of curvature of the bottom 3 where it receives a shaft to drive a rotatable clothes receptacle. Neither the clothes receptacle nor shaft are shown nor are the gears to drive them, which are all in the case 31 and connect to the gear 33 on the shaft 37. The shaft 37 extends through the end 5 into the casing 26 and a worm Wheel 42 is rotatably mounted on this shaft and meshes with the worm 43 on the shaft 23, bearings 44 being provided within the casing 26 to position this Worm. The hub of the worm wheel is formed with clutch teeth 45 and a collar 46, splined on this shaft 40 by means of the key 47, has other clutch teeth 48 adapted to mesh with the teeth 45. This collar has a groove 49 to receive a band 50 which connects to the lever 51 which extends out through the case 26, being mounted on a pivot 52 carried by lugs 53 on the casing 26. The lever may be swung to carry the teeth 48 into or out of engagement with the teeth 45 on the worm wheel and thereby connect or disconnect the shafts 26 and 37.

The shaft 37 extends through the tub well above the water line and as it is well enclosed there is no possibility of water splashing out around it.

A cover permits the clothes cylinder to be filled and is preferably formed of the two parts 74 and 75, hinged together and also hinged to the shell at 76. A rib 77 may be formed along the free edge of the door. A small lever 8 may be mounted on the pin 79 at either or both ends of the cylinder and a hook 80, pivoted on the lever at 81, may be employedI to secure the cover in position.

At the upper end of the casing 26 and rotatable on the shaft 23a, is a head 83 which mi"A supports the Wringer 84. A roller shaft 85 has a bevel gear 86 meshing With the pinions 8 and 88, both loose on the shafthQ. A clutch sleeve 89 rotates with the shaft and may be moved into engagement with either pinion to' 'cause the shaft 85 to be driven in either' direction. The Wringer may he locked from swinging by the lever 91, pivotedat 92l and having a pin 93 at its lower end which may be swung into a I`1otcl1`9fl` ley the spring 95.l This Wringer forms no part of the present invention. r

i The details and Yproportions of this Washing machine mayv be changed by those skilled vin the art Without departing from the spirit of ourl invention as set forth in the following claim.

We claim i In a Washing machine, the combination of a support, a Vcasing secured to one side of the supportand a cover for the casing, a three part vertical shaft, the upper and loW- er partsthereof extending outithrough the ends of the casing, couplings Within the casing and accessible when the 'cover is. removed, which couplings normally connect the' parts of said Ashaft but permit the removal of the intermediate part thereof when disconnected, a worm on the inter` mediate part of the shaft, and a driving mechanism 'including a worm Wheel in mesh with the Worm.

' GEORGE WV. THOMPSON.

FREDERICK FENSELAU. 

